PD Dr. Tobias P. Dick

A genetically encoded biosensor for the glutathione redox potential shows intratumoral redox heterogeneity on a tissue section.

For a long time reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been mostly regarded as unwanted and damaging side-products of cellular metabolism. However, it has become clear that some of these species, in particular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), play important positive roles as signaling molecules, and thus are essential for organismal health. Oxidative signals enable adaptive stress responses and contribute to cell fate decisions. Specifically, the signaling function of H2O2 is based on the reversible oxidative modification of transcription factors and other proteins involved in cell regulation. In our laboratory we are investigating signaling pathways by which endogenous H2O2 contributes to the regulation and deregulation of cellular physiology. We are interested in the exact nature of redox alterations that accompany inflammation and malignant growth. Special attention is devoted to the molecular mechanisms by which H2O2 achieves specificity as a signaling molecule. Another focus is the effort to uncover and understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of redox processes in vivo.